Electric lamp switch



Sept- 28, 1954 l.. H. MoRlN 2,690,504

ELECTRIC LAMP SWITCH Filed April 25, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTO NEYINVENTOR. LOUIS H. MORIN Sept 28, 1954 L. H. MORIN ELECTRIC LAMP SWITCH2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 25, 1952 A INVENTOR. LOUIS H. MORIN HTTO?EY Patented Sept. 28, 1954 ITED STATES ELECTRIC LAMP SWITCH Louis H.Morin, Device C0., of New York Bronx, N. Y., assignor to Rotolite Inc.,New York, N. Y., a corporation Application April 23, 1952, Serial No.283,917

2 Claims.

This invention relates to lamp constructions. More particularly, theinvention deals with a lamp having, as part of the lamp structure, meansfor actuating a switch mechanism in the bodily rotation or oscillationof the lamp to control igniting and turning-off of the lamp or incontrolling a series of circuits or laments of a circuit. Still moreparticularly, the invention deals with a lamp structure, wherein thecolumn or lamp stem is utilized as the switching or circuit controllingmember or medium of the lamp.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from thefollowing description, when taken together with the accompanyingdrawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosedand, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable referencecharacters in each of the views and, in which:

Fig. i is a sectional View through the lower portion and part of theupper portion of a lamp made according to my invention.

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View of the structure with part of theconstruction shown in section and with part broken away.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing another adaptation of myinvention.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a complete base of modifiedconstruction and also diagrammatically illustrating the circuit to anelectric bulb; and

Fig. 5 is a partial section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

In lamp constructions of the type and kind normally used, the bulb, orbulbs, of the lamp are usually controlled by pull chains, rotaryswitches or push switches disposed in the upper portion of the lamp or,in other words, in close proximity to the bulb or the socket in whichthe bulb is mounted. With this type of construction, it has always beenessential to reach in under a lamp shade to feel around in the eiiort tolocate and then successfully operate the switch, particularly with thepush-type of switches and rotary-type of switches. This has been furtherinconvenient from the standpoint that quite often a person, while seatedin a chair, desires to change the amount of light from a lamp toincrease or decrease the wattage and, in order to accomplish thisoperation, it has been necessary to rise from the chair to perform theoperation.

The purpose of my invention is to construct what I term a switch lamp,wherein a body portion of the lamp itself, such for example as thecolumn or stem, can be utilized as the switching member, element ormedium and simply given a rotary or rotary oscillatory motion to controlthe ignition of the bulb or bulbs or the lament in a multi-filament bulbin operating from a shut-on to a fully on position and, further, wherebythe lamp may be actuated so as to move from a high wattage to the nextlower wattage rather than in following the normal procedure of actuatinga switch from the high wattage stage to a completely shut-onc stage andthen to the desired stage of operation.

In Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, I have illustrated one adaptation of myinvention, in which I6 represents a lamp base in which is arranged asupporting body II. At I2 I have shown the column or upstanding tubewhich, according to my invention, becomes the switch member, element ormedium controlling actuation of the switch mechanism which is employed.I have also indicated diagrammatically at I3 means for supporting a lampshade of any type and kind around a lamp socket I4, the lower portiononly of which is shown.

In the supporting body II is arranged a bushing I5 in which is rotatablymounted a tubular shaft I8, through which the circuit wires, not shown,from the socket I 4 pass into and Contact with the switch mechanism I8supported on the body II within the base IIJ. The switch member I2 orcolumn is fixed to the shaft I6 through a cap or plate I9 and anothercap or plate 2E) is in the upper end of the column to support the shadebrackets I3. The upper end of the shaft is threaded, as seen at 2 I, toreceive and support the bulb socket I4.

The lower portion of the shaft I 6 has substantially a square keyportion 22, to which is keyed a switch actuating member or cam 23 heldin place by a nut and spring washer structure, as at 24, the latter alsoserving to maintain the assemblage of the lamp structure with the baseI0 and the supporting body II.

The cam 23 is generally of the contour seen in Fig. 2 of the drawing andincludes a protruding cam portion 25 for actuating the button 26 of theswitch I8, which, for illustrative purposes, can be a micro-switch,which requires a minimum amount of operation in control of the circuit.It will be understood, however, that in utilizing other types ofswitches, or simply a switch operating button as diagrammaticallyillustrated in Fig. 4, a greater cam surface is provided on the cam 23.

Secured to the body II are spaced stop pins 2 which limit oscillatorymovement of the switch actuating cam 23 and also the movement of themember i2 or any oi the parts or mechanisms carried or supportedthereby. In this connection, it might be well to point out that the lampshade supporting brackets I3 can provide a nxed coupling with a lampshade so that simple rotation of the shade will actuate the switchmechanism to control the circuit, as will be apparent.

The switch Yof Vthe structure shown in Figs. l and 2 of the drawing willoperate to control a single circuit to turn the circuit to a lamp on oroff. This may controla single bulb, or a series o bulbs, arranged in asingle circuit, or a circuit controlled from a single switch.

In Fig. 3 o the drawing, I have shown a slight modication of thestructure lshown in Figs. 1 and 2, wherein I have substituted for thecam 2.3 a switch actuating member or lever 23, having limited motionbetween stop pins lil', similarr to the pins 2l, and the lever 28 ismovableitoward and from a switch button 26 of a switch lll', otherwiseIsimilar `tothe switch i8. Here again, a circuit, similar to the circuito1 1Figs. l and 2, is controlled.

Quite often, lamps of the type andkind under consideration employ aseries of bulbs, or a bulb having a series of filaments, whereby adiflerent degree oi wattage can be attained through actuation of aswitch mechanism. In Fig. a of the drawing, I have diagrammaticallyshown amodified form of switch construction, as well as switch actuatingmechanism. yIn this ligure, IE represents the lower end portion of ashaft, similar to the shaft i6, and at 2e and St I have diagrammaticallyshown two switch devices having stationary contacts 3E and al,respectively, and'movable spring contacts 33 and 35i, the latter beingactuated by spring buttons 35 and normally supported by the thereon ininoperative position and moved into operative position to close thecircuit between 3i and and'iiby a switch actuating member or cama?. Thecam si' has two circumferentially short cam surfaces 3S and 39 and asomewhat longer cam surface lili, part of the latter beingin'diagrannnatically opposed relationship with respect to The cam 3l hasan extended control segment or plate portion il havingyin the uppersurface thereof, a series'of spaced-.recesses 42,43, lll and Lia, thelatter recess being shown in section .in of the drawing. At ii I haveshown lpartei the suppcrting'body ci the lamp base and, in'this body isarranged aisleeve il@ supporting a bearing ball lll, at its lower end,the ballbeing tensioned by a spring it to engage the recesses "d2-#fie`as the cam 3l is rotated.

The cam Si, ortheplate portion il thereof, operates in conjunction withstop pins se and 5? checking movement of the cam in the limit ci rotarytravel in both directions.

Associated with the showing .in Fig. l of the drawing, I havediagrammaticaily illustrated a lamp bulb 5l havinggbyway oiillustration, a 50 watt iilament at d2-anda 100 watt nlament at In thisconnection, it will be understood that the lamps Vary in thesecombinations and, quite often, have the 100 and ZOO'laments whichprovide the combination oi 1GO, 200 and 3G() wattage. `In the wiringdiagram illustrated, 5@ designates the negative source o supply and 55thepositive source of supply, the latterextending to the casing terminal5t of the bulb 5 I whereas, 5d branches 5l and 58 which extend to thenxed contacts 3i and 32 of the switches 2d and respectively.

At 59 andl Sil are shown two other terminals of the lamp el, 59 beingthe center end terminal iYIhe cam 3l is shown in the oli-position in Byrotating this cam in a clockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 4, the camportion 3&3 will be brought into engagement with the switch actuatiingbutton'SS and closing the circuit between contacts 3l and 33, thuscompleting the circuit to the :filament 52. In this operation, the cam3l is momentarily held at rest by the ball M dropping into the recessdil. By continuing the rotation oi the cam 3l in the samefdireetion, thecam it is brought into engagement with the button 3S the'cam 38has-released the button 35, thus the circuit throughdl and 33 is brokenandthe circuit is completed betweenfcontacts 32 and 'thus ignitingthe.watt filament 53. In this position of the'cam 3l, the ball lll is inthe socket Upon continuing the-rotary motion to the cam the camportion-'is vbrought into engagement with'the button againcompleting thecirc-ui" through the contacts 3i and 33 and the cam i maintains thecircuit closed'through the contam-J 32 and-3. In other words, bothfilaments 53 --will be ignited,-thus giving the 15G wattage in 1eexample given. `In this last position of e cam'or switchactuating member37, the bali .il will be in the 'socket d2.

With my improved switch construction and, assumingthat at a period ofoperation the lamp is set with the-switches-controlling the filament 53givingva 100 .watt light, the control or switch actuating memberS'can'either be moved in an anti-clockwise direction to provide a 50watt light or rotatedintheclockwise direction to quire the watt light.VThe directions of rotation as herein noted are associated with theillustration in Fig. 4 ofthe drawing and are not indicative of thedirection of rotation of the lamp when in actual use.

From a standpoint of description, the parts 23, 28 and .3l maybe said tocomprise switch operating members and the cam portions 25, Se, andr!)can be referred to as switch actuating elements. In allcases, themembers 23, 28 and 3l are in the form of thin plates.

vHaving fully described my invention, what I claim as new'anddesire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A lamp of the character described, comprising a base,a shaftrotatably mounted on and projecting above the base and having endextending into'the base, a switch actuating column secured to andenveloping the shaft above said base, the'base forming the support for slamp, a-switch mounted wholly in and supported by the base in spacedrelation to s id snai-t end, said switch having an inwardly extendingactuating button andbeing in circuit with the light bulb of the lamp, aradially extending thinplateliker actuating member fixed to said end oithe shaft and rotatable therewith, means on the base and directlycooperating withsaid member for checking krotary :movement of the shaftand member inboth directions, and means on said member inV alinementwith said button and adapted to actuate said button to control operationoi the lamp.

2. A lamp having a multiple filament light bulb, said lampl comprising abase, a shaft rotatably mounted on and projecting above the base andhaving an end extending into the base, a switch actuating column securedto and enveloping the shaft above said base, the :base forming thesupport for said lamp, a switch mounted wholly in and supported by thebase in spaced relation to said shaft end, another switch mounted whollyin the base in spaced relation to the first named switch, both of saidswitches having inwardly extending actuating buttons, the switches beingin circuit with the light bulb of the lamp, a radially extending thinplate-like switch operating member xed to said end of the shaft androtatable therewith, means on the base and directly cooperating withsaid member for checking rotary movement of the shaft and member in bothdirections, means on said member in alinement with lboth switch buttonsand adapted to actuate said buttons to control operation of the lamp,said means on said member being arranged at circumferentially spacedintervals in controlling, through actuation of both switches, thedifferent filaments of the light bulb, and means in the base and on saidmember independent of said first named means checking rotary movement ofthe member to yieldably retain said member in diierent circuitcontrolling positions.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 985,234 Wagner Feb. 28, 1911 1,925,974 Beck Sept. 5, 19332,067,557 Allison Jan. 12, 1937 2,124,009 Schneider July 19, 19382,449,765 Brattain Sept. 21, 1948 2,604,793 Ellithorpe July 29, 19522,632,098 Marchese Mar. 17, 1953 2,674,689 Thornton et al. Apr. 6, 1954FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 810,408 Germany Aug. 9, 1951

